--- title: Does vitamin D supplementation help PMS symptoms? | Niyora description: Vitamin D reduced overall PMS severity and particularly helped with physical symptoms and depression, but the certainty of this evidence is very low. We canno url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/efficacy-of-vitamin-d-supplementation-to-alleviate-premenstrual-syndrome-2026/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does vitamin D supplementation help PMS symptoms? Systematic review, 2026 # Does vitamin D supplementation help PMS symptoms? Vitamin D reduced overall PMS severity and particularly helped with physical symptoms and depression, but the certainty of this evidence is very low. We cannot be confident in these findings yet and more high-quality research is needed. Strong study design 436 participants in 5 randomized controlled trials ## What they did Systematic review and meta-analysis combining results from 5 randomized controlled trials with a total of 436 participants. They compared vitamin D supplementation to placebo or standard care for PMS symptoms. ## What they found Vitamin D significantly reduced total PMS severity with an effect size of -0.78. Physical symptoms improved with an effect size of -1.00, and depression improved with an effect size of -0.78. Vitamin D did not help anxiety, food cravings, or water retention. No adverse events were reported. ## What it means for you Vitamin D may help reduce PMS, especially physical symptoms and low mood, and appears safe. However, the evidence quality is considered very low with significant variation between studies. The studies were small and somewhat different from each other, making it hard to be confident. Larger, well-designed studies are needed to know if this really works. 5 Randomized controlled trials included 436 Total participants studied -0.78 Effect on overall PMS severity (standardized effect size) ## About the study Original title Efficacy of Vitamin D Supplementation to Alleviate Premenstrual Syndrome Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Authors Zainab A, Tageldin RS, Patel R et al. Journal Journal of clinical medicine Year 2026 Study design Systematic review What was tested Vitamin D supplementation compared to placebo or standard care Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.3390/jcm15124828](https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15124828) Original abstract Aim : Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) substantially impairs quality of life, while standard pharmacologic treatments are often limited by adverse effects or contraindications. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation compared to passive control (placebo or standard care) for PMS symptom relief. Methods : PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and CENTRAL were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) up to January 2026. The primary outcome was change in total PMS severity scores. Secondary outcomes included depression, anxiety, physical symptoms, craving, and water retention. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I 2 statistic. Results : Five RCTs including 436 participants were reviewed. The overall risk of bias was rated as "some concerns" in four RCTs and "low risk" in one trial. Vitamin D significantly reduced total PMS severity (SMD: -0.78, 95% CI: -1.30, -0.26, I 2 = 58.22%) as well as physical symptoms (SMD: -1.00, 95% CI: -1.99, -0.01, I 2 = 90.53%) and depression (SMD: -0.78, 95% CI: -1.53, -0.02, I 2 = 84.56%). No significant effects were observed for anxiety, craving, or water retention. Vitamin D was well tolerated with no reported adverse events. Conclusions : Vitamin D supplementation may reduce overall PMS severity, particularly physical and depressive symptoms. However, results show substantial heterogeneity across outcomes, and the certainty of evidence remains "very low", underscoring the need for further high-quality, well-powered RCTs. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Appetite and food cravings](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-food-cravings/)[Bloating, breast tenderness and physical symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-physical-symptoms/)[Vitamin D](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-vitamin-d/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? 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